NHL playoffs: Isles open Wednesday, Rangers open Thursday

The NHL playoffs get underway on Tuesday night, with action airing on NBC, NBC Sports Network, CNBC and the NHL Network, plus locally on MSG and MSG Plus.
The Rangers will play at Washington on Thursday and Saturday (afternoon) and host the Caps on Monday, May 6, and Wednesday, May 8. The series wraps up on May 10 (at Washington), May 12 (at the Garden) and May 13 (at Washington.
The Islanders will play at Pittsburgh on Wednesday and Friday and host the Pens on Sunday, May 5, and Tuesday, May 7. The series wraps up on May 9 (at Pittsburgh), May 11 (at the Coliseum) and May 12 (at Pittsburgh).
If last year is any indication, should any game run past its allotted time window (likely due to overtime), the next game on NBC Sports Network or CNBC would start on NHL Network and switch back to the original network when the overtime is finished.
Here is the NHL playoff schedule, with national TV dates set through game four; all remaining games will be scheduled for time and TV as the playoffs move along.Tuesday, April 30
Game 1: Minnesota at Chicago, 8 p.m. (NBCSN)
Game 1: Los Angeles at St. Louis, 8 p.m. (CNBC)
Game 1: Anaheim at Detroit, 10:30 p.m. (NBCSN)Wednesday, May 1
Game 1: Toronto at Boston, 7 p.m. (CNBC)
Game 1: Islanders at Pittsburgh, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN, MSG Plus)
Game 1: San Jose at Vancouver, 10 p.m. (NBCSN)Thursday, May 2
Game 1: Ottawa at Montreal, 7 p.m. (CNBC)
Game 1: Rangers at Washington, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN, MSG)
Game 2: Los Angeles at St. Louis, 9:30 p.m. (CNBC)
Game 2: Detroit at Anaheim, 10 p.m. (NBCSN)Friday, May 3
Game 2: Islanders at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m. (NBCSN, MSG Plus)
Game 2: Ottawa at Montreal, 7 p.m. (CNBC)
Game 2: Minnesota at Chicago, 9:30 p.m. (NBCSN)
Game 2: San Jose at Vancouver, 10 p.m. (CNBC)Saturday, May 4
Game 2: Rangers at Washington, 12:30 p.m. (NBC)
Game 2: Toronto at Boston, 7 p.m. (CNBC)
Game 3: Anaheim at Detroit, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN)
Game 3: St. Louis at Los Angeles, 10 p.m. (NBCSN)Sunday, May 5
Game 3: Pittsburgh at Islanders, 12 p.m. (NBC)
Game 3: Chicago at Minnesota, 3 p.m. (NBC)
Game 3: Montreal at Ottawa, 7 p.m. (NBCSN)
Game 3: Vancouver at San Jose, 10 p.m. (NBCSN)Monday, May 6
Game 3: Boston at Toronto, 7 p.m. (NHL Network)
Game 3: Washington at Rangers, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN, MSG)
Game 4: Anaheim at Detroit, 8 p.m. (CNBC)
Game 4: St. Louis at Los Angeles, 10 p.m. (NBCSN)Tuesday, May 7
Game 4: Pittsburgh at Islanders, 7 p.m. (NBCSN, MSG Plus)
Game 4: Montreal at Ottawa, 7 p.m. (CNBC)
Game 4: Chicago at Minnesota, 9:30 p.m. (NBCSN)
Game 4: Vancouver at San Jose, 10 p.m. (CNBC)Wednesday, May 8
Game 4: Boston at Toronto, 7 p.m. (NHL Network)
Game 4: Washington at Rangers, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN, MSG)
Game 5: Los Angeles at St. Louis, TBD
Game 5: Detroit at Anaheim, 10 p.m. (TBD)Thursday, May 9
Game 5: Islanders at Pittsburgh, TBD (TBD, MSG Plus)
Game 5: Ottawa at Montreal, 7 p.m. (TBD)
Game 5: Minnesota at Chicago, TBD
Game 5: San Jose at Vancouver, 10 p.m. (TBD)Friday, May 10
Game 5: Toronto at Boston, 7 p.m. (TBD)
Game 5: Rangers at Washington, 7:30 p.m. (TBD, MSG)
Game 6: Anaheim at Detroit, TBD
Game 6: St. Louis at Los Angeles, TBDSaturday, May 11
Game 6: Pittsburgh at Islanders, TBD (TBD, MSG Plus)
Game 6: Montreal at Ottawa, TBD
Game 6: Chicago at Minnesota, TBD
Game 6: Vancouver at San Jose, TBDSunday, May 12
Game 6: Washington at Rangers, TBD (TBD, MSG)
Game 6: Boston at Toronto, TBD
Game 7: Pittsburgh at Islanders, TBD (TBD, MSG Plus)
Game 7: Ottawa at Montreal, TBD
Game 7: Minnesota at Chicago, TBD
Game 7: Detroit at Anaheim, TBDMonday, May 13
Game 7: Rangers at Washington, TBD (TBD, MSG)
Game 7: Toronto at Boston, TBD
Game 7: Los Angeles at St. Louis, TBD
Game 7: San Jose at Vancouver, TBD

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Blog Author

Ken McMillan

Ken McMillan has been covering sports since he got his first writing job in 1979. He has covered Section 9 athletics for the past 34 years. He reports on college sports, including Army and Marist College. He also writes on TV/radio sports news, ... Read Full